


Bleeding at the bus stop

by Superhero_Trash



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Amnesia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Light Romance, Mentions of Anxiety, Player is a good friend, The Opera in the Outback Caper, first fic, red crackle, self indulgent fic, why won't the red crackle tag come up?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 06:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17595866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superhero_Trash/pseuds/Superhero_Trash
Summary: She'd never stop wondering if she didn't cross the street.





	Bleeding at the bus stop

Carmen stood at the bus stop. 

Well, behind the bus stop. 

Player was in her ear, telling her all the ways this could go wrong, very, very very wrong. If not now, than most certainly in the future. She knows he’s right. This is a big risk, and there was a lot at stake here. 

But if there was a chance that, even a small one that her and gray could be friends...could rebuild that relationship they’d both torn apart- Then she’d take it. Carmen loved all her friends, and would move mountains for them. It...just....stung, knowing once she would've done the same for Gray too, and she needed to know that she was right. That gray was a good person, that V.I.L.E. had caused him to change, that it was good to trust him. 

Red was the colour of love and danger after all.

“I’ll be careful. Besides player, it can be just one time. We’re not even friends yet. I can leave anytime i need, and I don’t even have to meet with him again. Simple”

Carmen could hear the clicking of keyboard keys in the background as player let out a frustrated sigh. 

“I still think this is a bad idea”  
Carmen folded her arms across her chest, leaning back against the sign, even if player couldn’t see her

“Well then...don’t think, listen” 

“That’s not- ugh. Just keep me listening in, and be ready for anything. You won’t have any backup from Ivy & Zac until it’s too late.” 

She could hear the worry in his voice, the slight strain in his words. They were each others first real friends after all, with each other through thick and thin, even if they’ve only ever met once in person. She trusted player completely, and she knew he’d trust her too.  
Even if he didn’t like it. 

“I need to do this player, or I’ll regret it forever” 

She knew if player pressed on, she’d listen. She’d leave and never look back. Take the safer option. Move on and continue to take down VILE. But she needed to know. 

“I know” 

Carmen released a breath she didnt know she was holding, her hand unclenching over her chest.

“Thanks player. You alright if I turn the comms off?” 

She heard some grumbling “I’ll hack the security cameras”  
Carmen shook her head, rolling her eyes at he friends antics. She knew it was out of love, and it’s nice to know someone had your back. 

“You’re the best player, thank you” Her voice whispered into the night, the words getting lost in the gentle sea breeze. 

“Yeah I know, now go and see if he’s telling the truth” 

“Will do”  
She turned the earpiece off and breathed heavily against the sign, staring off into the night. Her heart was beating, drumming in her chest as anxiety crawled up her spine and sunk it’s claws in. She tried to free it’s grip, as she’d done so many times before, as she had trained herself to do- but it refused to give way. 

But still, her mind was made up. 

She released a staggering breath as she pulled her hoodie on her head, a few pieces of hair falling out. She needs to know what he was like before V.I.L.E. before graduation, whatever had happened, caused him to change. What he would’ve been like before.  
Just one meeting. Just one visit to see if she’s right. To prove what she’d always known. That he was a good person, deep down. 

Squaring her shoulders, she walked out the front of the bus stop, checked the time, and looked up. 

She could see him sitting outside the cafe, in his signature blue coloured denim jacket. She smiled to herself. He always did like that shade of blue.  
Taking in her surroundings, she saw the road and the bus stop, noticing that the next bus would be here any minute. It was surprisingly quiet, with the city life buzzing in the background among the river.  
She watched him check his watch before looking up- right at her. He broke out into a big, celebratory grin, his eyes lighting up as it shot right through her. Striking her core. 

Anxiety gripped harder, squeezing her chest. She almost bailed then, was going to use the oncoming bus as a getaway. This was a terrible idea. Player was right, there were so many things that could go wrong- 

The bus drove past her. 

She stood still. 

The bus went by and she walked across the street, her shoulders back and her head held high. He was still grinning, now jogging towards her, and the anxiety’s claws relaxed. She couldn’t help but smile back.

“Fora’ second there I thought the only Carmen I’d see again was the opera” His voice pitched up at the end of his sentence, and she almost mistook if for a question. Before remembering...right, Aussie accents. 

He had this goofy grin on his face, like she should be proud of the snarky quip he’d made. She forgot he could be so..stupidly friendly at times. She rolled her eyes and pulled her hoodie down. 

“My trip ended in time, figured I’d come by...see if your memory was working” She teased lightly, hoping he wouldn’t take it too hard. 

“I’d never forget a girl like you” He offered his arm out to her as he spoke. She dramatically sighed, looking up pretending to think about it. 

“You’re kinda memorable too, I suppose” She smirked, taking his arm. 

“Kinda? I’m the best bloke around, I’ll have you know” 

It continued on like that throughout the night. The more they talked, the more Carmen knew she was right about Gray, her anxiety non-existent. Only with training did she keep looking around, keeping an eye out for VILE agents, finding none. He caught her looking around once or twice, calling her out on it. But he didn’t seem to mind too much, and it was far too easy just to ease back into conversation. It was only then when she realized how much she missed Gray. The jokes and laughs, company and memories. She knew he wasn’t her Gray, but at the same time he was exactly the same as she remembered him in the academy. He made a joke, and, she laughed. 

She tucked a piece of hair back behind her ear; anxiety lightly tapping at her chest. A reminder of what she knew. 

This was only ever going to leave a bleeding heart.

**Author's Note:**

> I know other people have written similar things to this, but I wanted to see what would happen if Carmen did cross the street that fateful evening. So I wrote it. This fandom needs more fics anyway. Hence the mess of writing above. This is my first fic in this fandom, so feedback is welcome, but please be nice! Feel free to leave prompts for me to write in the future, or AU's or whatnot.  
> Thanks for reading this! 
> 
> P.S. Shoutout to @Tiki_Trasho who is writing fics left right and centre for this fandom, so check her out if you haven't already :)


End file.
